Single crystals of 3,14-dimethyl-2,6,13,17-tetraazoniatricyclo(16.4.0.07,12)docosane tetrachloride
tetrahydrate compound, [C20H44N4]Cl4·4H2O (1), were obtained by a novel synthetic route and
characterized by elemental analysis and X-ray diffraction. The synthesized compound crystallized in
the monoclinic space group P21/n with two molecules of compound 1 in the unit cell [a = 7.5548(3) Å,
b = 23.1838(8) Å, c = 8.3101(4) Å; β = 103.390(3)º]. The asymmetric unit contains half a
centrosymmetric macrocyclic cation, two chloride anions and two water molecules. The organic
[C20H44N4]4+ fragment of 1 adopts an exodentate [3,4,3,4]-D conformation. The C–C and N–C bond
lengths of the macrocyclic tetracation range 1.525(3)-1.540(3) Å and 1.505(3)-1.519(3) Å, respectively.
A three-dimensional hydrogen bonding network provides crystal cohesion through O–H···Cl, N–H···Cl
and N–H···O interactions between organic cations, chloride anions and water molecules. The functional
groups present in the crystal were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman
spectroscopy. The Hirshfeld surface analysis and 2D fingerprint plots revealed that the crystal packing
in 1 is dominated by H···H, Cl···H/H···Cl and O···H/H···O contacts.